12. Growing through the Word of God

FLASHBACK

What did you experience with God this week?
In the last few days, did you have the opportunity to share an experience with God with someone close to you that doesn’t know Jesus yet? Or could you pray for them or help them practically?
Do you need God‘s help in an area of your life?

■ Pray together: Give thanks for your experiences, ask God for help where you need it.

■ Pray together to learn new things about God and that your relationship with God deepens and gets stronger.

BIBLE STUDY

Read the passage silently. What words or phrases stick out?
One person reads the passage out loud.
One person retells the passage in his/her own words (Bibles closed).
If necessary, the others complement what was said (Bibles closed).

Luke 8:5-6

⁵ “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds ate it up. ⁶ Some fell on rocky ground, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture.

Luke 8:11-15

¹¹ “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God. ¹² Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. ¹³ Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. ¹⁴ The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. ¹⁵ But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

Everyone by themselves:
- What words or phrases stick out now? Are there any differences to what you noticed before?
- Why do you feel drawn to those words or phrases?
- What can you learn about people?
- What could God be telling you?
Share in the group.

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS & ACTION STEPS

In which of the four situations described in these verses do you see yourself at the moment?
Why does Jesus compare his Word to a seed?
What are the requirements that the Word of God can develop its power in our lives? Read also John 8:31-32.

■ Do you meet these requirements? What would you like to hold on to from what you‘ve learned today? Note this down individually, then present it in the whole group

■ Tell it God in a prayer (in groups of two or three).

SCRIPTURE COMMENTS

The Word of God is the written (Bible), but also the living Word (Jesus). It is the essence which I discover while reading the Bible, but also when the Holy Spirit speaks to me.
The Word of God is compared to a seed. Similar to a seed, all the essentials are encompassed in the Word of God, including the necessary power to grow (Hebrews 4:12: “For the word of God is alive and active.”).

Jesus tells another parable relating to seed: Mark 4:26-29. The man is completely clueless how the seed grows exactly. It “simply happens” after the seed was sown. Many Christians try hard to grow spiritually. But the New Testament teaches us that the Holy Spirit will provide growth, if we are faithful in our part of the equation:

Hearing God’s Word – His promises for us or a description of what He’s like and how He sees us – (for example from our own lips) and to persevere in holding on to it (Luke 8:15).

OTHER LANGUAGES